There are currently several different apparatus and methods used to cleave a laser bar into discrete semiconductor chips. One known method involves the use of mechanically applied pressure to a laser bar. By this method, a laser bar is grasped by a mechanical device at opposing places and a force is directed at both opposing places, creating a plane of stress at which ultimately the laser bar is broken. The use of mechanically applied pressure in this manner, however, sometimes provides an uneven, ragged cleave edge.
Another method involves passing a high velocity stream of gas over the laser bar to induce cleavage. There is an ergonomic disadvantage to this method in that it is noisy. A further disadvantage is that a large volume of gas is required to induce cleavage.